The exhibition ‘Stadium, Architecture and Myth’, on display at MAXXI in Rome until November 9 and sponsored by the FIGC, provided the backdrop for a talk titled “From the 1982 Victory to the Political Arena: Sport and Collective Memory.” Taking part were Matteo Marani, President of Lega Pro and the Football Museum Foundation, and Giancarlo Antognoni, Delegation Head for Italy’s Under-21 Team and 1982 World Cup champion with the Azzurri. The event was introduced by Elena Tinacci, Coordinator of MAXXI Architecture and Contemporary Design, and moderated by journalist Malcom Pagani. 

With the trophy lifted by Dino Zoff in Madrid (alongside the one from 2006) on display, the event offered a chance to reflect on the bond between football and society through the stories of those who lived that unforgettable era. Forever etched in Italy’s collective memory is President Sandro Pertini’s iconic celebration in the Bernabéu’s stands, a spontaneous, heartfelt gesture that transformed a sporting victory into a powerful moment of national pride and unity.

It was more than just a sporting victory, but a collective revival of unity, identity and national pride. Football was the common language that brought the country together. 1982 was also the year of the liberation of U.S. General James Lee Dozier, marking the decline of the ‘Anni di Piombo’ (Years of Lead), while Law No. 304 introduced sentence reductions for those who cooperated with justice, weakening organised crime groups. The joy that the beginning of the end of an internal crisis brought marked the first signs of a new international era, with sport taking centre stage and uniting the nation.